Roller screen



Patented Oct. 23, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROLLER SCREEN Application December 7, 1929, Serial No. 412,444

17 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in roller screens and more particularly to a guide and latching means therefore;

The preferred embodiment of this invention discloses a roller screen guide structure removahly engaged with a supporting member which is permanently anchored to a wood or plaster window iamb during erection of a building.

Although the general purpose for which this 19 invention is intended has heretofore been contemplated and in a measure solved, it is believed the roller screen structures now in use fail to adequately meet the requirement of ready assembly and adaptability, that is necessary to meet the constantly changing requirements of architects and builders.

The principal object of this invention lies in the provision of removable guides by which to support a reciprocal screen.

Another object of this invention is to anchor in a jamb, a supporting member with which a removable guide is frictionally engaged.

A further object of this invention is to provide an operating bar having frictional engagement with the removable guide in which it is mounted.

A still further object of this invention is to provide positive latching means between the guide and operating bar when said screen is fully Gittended.

Other and further objects of this invention will appear from a consideration of the following specification which is taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, and in which Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front elevation oi one form of this invention, parts being broken away to more fully disclose the structure thereoi;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken sub stantially on the line 2--2 of Figure l and shows the operating bar structure;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1 and shows the method of mounting the operating bar within the remov able guide and the guide within the jamb;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 44 ofFigure 1 and shows a frictional engagement between the operating bar and the removable guide;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view through the guide shoe upon which the removable guide is mounted; and

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the guide shoe.

Referring to the drawing, the reference numetal 10 is employed to designate a jamb head in which is mounted a roll screen case 11. Flanges 12, extending downwardly from the ends of the roll case 11, support said case within the head 10 through screws 13. Formed in the lower wall of the case 11 is a longitudinal slot 15 through which the screen 16 is adapted to pass. Mounted within the case 11 is a roller 17 and attendant spring structure. The structure within the case 11, forming no part of this invention and being covered by Patent Number 1,878,710, of September 20, 1932, will not further be described.

Mounted within a plaster or other jamb 20 is a guide retaining member 21, formed with a base 22 from which extends, at right angles, flanges 23. The flanges 23 terminate in rolled edges 25 from which project reversely disposed spring flanges 26. The longitudinal recess 27, between the flanges 23 of the retainingmember, is partially closed by the angular disposition of the flanges 26. The member 21 is mounted on the rough jamb 28, being secured thereto in any suitable manner as by screws (not shown). The rolled edges 25, which terminate flanges 23, determine the depth or thickness of the plaster jamb 20 which is filled in against flanges 23 to produce a finished jamb and at the same time to anchor and conceal the member 21. Obviously, when the plaster jamb 20 is in place, no flexibility of the flanges 23 may be had. However, the inturned flanges 26 are free to move when a screen guide is inserted in the recess 27.

Mounted on the sill 30, adjacent the jamb 20, and secured to said sill by screws 31, is a guide shoe 33. This shoe is formed with a box-like portion 34 adjacent which is a somewhat cylindrical recess 36. Opening into the recess 36 and bounded by flanges 37,'united by a base flange 38, is a narrow recess 39. One wall of the box-like portion 34 constitutes one wall of the recess 36 and the other wall of said recess is formed by the flange 40 terminating in a rolled edge 41. The edge of the portion 34 is curved to produce a face similar and adjacent to the rolled edge 41. Formed in the front wall 43 of the portion 34 is a vertical slot 44, the purpose of which will later be set forth. Above the portion 34; and integral with the walls defining the recess 36, are offset vertical flanges 46. The shoulders 47, connected with these offset flanges, form a support upon which the removable guide is mounted.

A guide 50 is adapted to be partially embedded in the plaster jamb 20 through engagement with the supporting member 21. This guide is formed with a wide recess 51 and a. connecting narrow recess 52. The walls 53, of the recess 51, terminate in rolled edges 54. Formed integral with the walls 53, and defining the recess 52, are portions 56 having a connecting portion 57 forming together a U-shaped mounting element for the guide. Since the dimensions of the guide 50 are identical with that of the guide shoe 33, said guide, when mounted, will be fully, supported, being held against any lateral movement by the vertical flanges 46 of said shoe. The rolled edges 54 of the guide correspond to the rolled edge 41 of the guide shoe and the curved wall of the portion 34. The purpose of providing a shoe for the guide is to facilitate holding the guide in close engagement with the base of the roll case and also to eliminate the necessity of providing in a structure the size of the guide, the locking structure of the guide shoe. It will be understood, however, that although the guide and shoe therefor are individually formed and joined together at the time of assembly, the shoe 33 constitutes a continuation of the guide to the sill 30. Should it be found expedient to provide further means connecting the guide and guide shoe, it is contemplated to make use of pins 33a which, when anchored in the openings in the rolled edges 41 and face 43 of the shoe, will fit into the rolled edges 54 of the guide.

An operating bar 60 is joined to the lower edge of the screening 16. Referring particularly to Figure 2 of the drawing, it will be noted that this bar is formed from two spaced connecting walls 61 between which the screening 16 is fastened. The walls 61, at the bottom of the bar, form right angle flanges 62 which, at their connection 63, are curved upwardly to form a rail portion by which the screen may be raised or lowered. Secured to the wall 61, remote from the flanges 62, is a longitudinally extending closed member 65. Within this member, and extending downwardly therefrom, is mounted weather stripping 66. It will be noted that the flanges 62 do not extend the full length of the operating bar but are cut short to permit the ends of said bar entry into the guides 50. Beyond the point at which the flanges 62 terminate and within the recess 51 of the guide, the walls 61 of the bar are flared to form the portion 68, the purpose of which is to prevent disengagement of the operating bar from the guide 50 during vertical reciprocation thereof. By reason of the fact that screening is often inadvertently pulled out of the guides, it has been found advantageous to provide the screening 16 of a width such as will extend into the narrow recess 52 of the guide, which recess lies within the finished jamb 20. In order to secure the entire lower edge of the screening, the walls 61 of the operating bar are continued beyond the flared portion 68 and engage said screening.

Formed in the inner wall 61 of the operating bar and adjacent the ends thereof are slots 69. The purpose of said slots is to provide engagement for a curved spring 70, the ends 71 of which extend therethrough. The curved portion of the spring frictionally engages one of the walls of the recess 52. Because of this spring, the operating bar, although sufficiently free for easy reciprocation, is provided with a brake by which to retard its upward movement generated by a spring in the roller 1'7.

Mounted on the inner wall 61 of the operating bar 60 is a latch member 73 formed from a single plate and comprising a handle 74 and latch portion 75. The member 73 is joined to the wall 61 by means of a pin 77. Since it is desirable that the latch member 73 automatically engage the slot 44, when the screen is fully withdrawn, a spring 78 is provided. One end of the spring rests upon a lower flange 79 of the latch member and is looped about the pin 77, being continued upwardly to engage a further pin 81 projecting from the wall 61 of the operating bar. Through the provision of the spring 78, the latch portion 75, during raising or lowering of the screen, occupics the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing. As the screen is fully withdrawn the latch por--- tion moves inwardly by contact with the guide shoe 33 and when in register with the slot 44.- moves into said slot to latch the screen in fully extended position as shown in Figure 1. Regardless of the tension of the spring within the roller 17 and regardless of any vibration or jarring of the screen structure, the latch portion will remain in engagement with the guide shoe 33. Furthermore, should any attempt be made to raise the screen from the exterior of thewindow, an upward pull will tend to more closely engage the latch portion with the guide shoe. To release the latch member a downward pressure is exerted on the handle 74 and the screen may be raised as desired.

To mount a structure embodying this invention it is necessary, as above stated, to first locate the guide supporting members 21 upon the rough jamb. The roll case 11 is now mounted, being secured in the head 10 through the use of screws 13. At the time of locating the roll case, the operating bar 60 has already been attached to the screening 16 and projects downwardly from said case. The jamb 20 is now located and, whether plaster, wood or metal, is made to closely engage the retaining member 21. The removable guides 50 and attached guide shoe are inserted in the recesses 27 of the members 21 and moved upwardly to the position shown in Figure 5 of the drawing. As the guides are moved upwardly, the flared portions 68, of the operating bar, fit into the recesses 51 of the guides. Pins 80, formed by the rolled edges of said guides, engage opening 81 provided therefore in the walls of the roll case which define the opening 15. Upon fully extending the screen, the operating bar 60 moves to the position shown in Figure 1 and the latch member 73 engages the shoe 33. Should it be found necessary at any time to remove the screen from the window opening, it is a simple matter to disengage guides 50 from the members 21 and remove the guide shoes 33. The roll case may then be removed.

Although applicant has shown and described but one modification of this invention, he does not intend to be limited thereto since it is obvious that other modifications or adaptations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the hereunto annexed claims.

Having thus set forth my invention what I claim as new and for which I desire protection by Letters Patent is:

1. In a roller screen structure, an operating bar attached to the lower edge of a screen, a guide receiving the vertical edge portions of said screen and said operating bar, and flared portions formed in and removed from the ends of said bar adapted to engage said guides and prevent lateral withdrawal of said operating bar therefrom.

2. In roller screen structure, a guide receiving a vertical edge portion of the screen, a retaining member receiving said guide, and resilient means in said member Irictionally engaging said guide, said means facilitating mounting orrernoval of said guide relative to said member.

3. In roller screen structure, a guide receiving an edge portion of the screen, a channel-shaped retaining member receiving said guide, spring flanges formed integral with and projecting into said member, said flanges being adapted to trictionally retain said guide in engagement with said member.

4. In a roller screen structure, a screen guide, a retaining member, spring flanges formed in said member and adapted to contact with and retain said guide in engagement therewith.

5. In a roller screen structure, an operating bar attached to the screen, a screen guide, walls defining connecting recesses in said guide, one oi .said recesses receiving a vertical edge 0! said screen and of said operating bar and means on said operating bar engaged with the other of said recesses.

' 6. In roller screen structure, an operating bar attached to the screen, a screen guide, the walls of said guide forming a narrow recess connected with a wide open ended recess, a vertical edge of said screen and an end 0! said operating bar being mounted in said narrow recess, a flared portion insaid operating bar adjacent the end thereof, said portion'being located in said open ended recess.

'7.Inroller screen structure, a guide receiving an edge portion of the screen, a retaining member receiving said guide, said guide having resilient means frictionally engaged with said retaining member.

8. In roller screen structure, a guide receiving an edge portion of the screen, spaced resilient walls formed in said guide, and a retaining member receiving and frictionally engaging said guide walls.

9. In roller screen structure, a guide receiving an edge portion of the screen, a retaining member receiving said guide, spring means in said member engaging said guide and resilient means in said guide adapted to contact with said spring means.

10. In a roller screen structure, a screen guide, the walls of said guide each having a longitudinal opening, means for supporting said guide,

said means being interengaged with the openings in said guide and partially enclosing a portion thereof whereby to prevent lateral movement or said guide relative to said means.

11. In a roller screen structure, a screen guide, a shoe, means projecting upwardly from said shoe for aligning the screen opening of said guide with a corresponding opening of said shoe, and further means on said shoe forming a seat ior receiving and supporting one end of said guide.

12. In a roller screen structure, a screen guide, a shoe, means projecting upwardly from said shoe registering with said guide, an ofiset flange forming a shoulder on said shoe and providing a seat for receiving and supporting one end of said guide.

13. In a roller screen structure, a screen guide, having a specified configuration, rolled edges on said guide each forming a longitudinal opening, a shoe constituting a support for said guide, said shoe having a portion thereof formed to coniorm to the shape and proportion 01 said guide, the upper end of said portion having an offset flange by which to produce a walled ledge on which said guide rests and pins on said upper portion engaged with said guide openings.

14. In a roller screen structure, a roll case, a guide having rolled edges which project upwardly above the side walls thereof, said edges being intereng'aged with said roll'case whereby to cause an opening in said guide to register with a screen opening in said roll case.

15. In a roller screen structure, a screen guide, a shoe engaged with one end of said guide, a laterally disposed portion of said shoe having an opening, an operating bar, means on said bar normally urged to register with said opening when said bar is in its lowermost position.

16. In a roller screen structure, a screen guide, a shoe engaged with one end of said guide, a slot in said shoe, an operating bar, latch means on said bar, said latch means including a spring latch automatically registrable with said slot when said bar is in its lowermost position.

17. In a roller screen structure, a roll case having longitudinally extending walls defining a screen opening, a guide having a screen opening, rolled edges on said guide, certain of the walls of said roll case having openings, said edges interfitting with said openings wherebyto cause the screen opening in said guide to register with the screen opening in said roll case.

WILLIAM W. WATSON. 

